Knitting machine



June 24, w41;

F. KLUMPP Erm.

KNITTING MACHINE Filed Aug. 18, |1937 12 sheets-sheet 1 NNN@ QN @W m. Yoww E TLA N EDM o WMM w IWZ A F. KLUMPP ETAL.

KNITTING MACHINE June 24, 3941,

12 sheets-sheet 2 Filed Aug. '18, 1937 INVENTOR S FEAD//VA N0 /l/L UMPPFRI TZ LAMB/4CH TTOR EY .Fume 24, E941. F. KLUMPP ET Al.

KNITTING MACHINE Filed Aug. 18, 1937,

12' Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR S FED/NAN Jun@ 24, E941. E KLUMPP .E1-'ALZQZ KNITTING MACHINE Filed Aug. 18, 1937 12 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTORSFERDINAND KU/MPP FR/T Z AIMS/4CH ATTORNEY Jun@ 24; WM.

F. IKLUMPP ETAL KNITTING MACHINE Filed Aug. 18, 1937 12 Sheets-Sheet 6lill- IIIL INVENToRs Fino/NAND L1/MPP ATTORNEY Jun@ MML- F. KLUMPP Erm.,2247,02

Filed Aug. 18, 193'? 12 Sheets-Sheet '7 INVENTORS FERDINAND KLUMPP Jun@WM. F. KLUMPP AL, ,m

` KNITTING MACHINE l INVENTORS June 24, 1941. F. KLUMPP ETAL.

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June 24, 1941.. F. KLUMPP ETAL KNITTING MACINE Filed Aug. 18, :('193'7l2 Sheets-Sheet l1 INVENTORS FERDINAND /fLl/MPP H W n c N A B R m m LJune 24, 19ML A y F. KLUMPP ErAL 2,24%@952 Filed Aug. 1a, 19:57 12sheets-sheet 1-2 atenteci Jane d. @di

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2,24%@92 KNIITEG MACD `Hersey application angina it, resi, senat no.nach (ci. ca -to This invention relates generally to improvements inknitting machines and particularly to that class thereof by which novelknitted and textile fabric comprising knitting warp with an inlaidiiller can be manufactured. A machine made in accordance with thisinvention also may be employed as a Warp knitting machine lforconventional lmitting'or as a Warp knitting machine vvherein fillerthreads are introduced into the fabric as it is being produced.

This application includes modifications and improvements over ourcopending application, Serial No. t9,4l53, iiled November '13, i935, forKnitting machines.

'I'he knitting machine contemplated by this' invention is provided withnovel ller laying instrurnentalities cooperating with the knittingfacilities for producing a fabric comprising filler threads (which mayextend either from selvedge to selvedge or partly through the fabric andwhich may be present in any desired courses of the warp threads)enveloped by knitting loops or chains of warp threads, the nller threadsconi necting with the knitted rows thereby preventing both longitudinaland transverse stretching and in general distortion of the fabric. lfhemachine provides means for introducing a warp into the fabric forinterconnecting, respectively, two or more knitted loops orconnecting-links of adjacent rows or courses, which both strengthenscontrolling the distribution of ller thread in desired courses of aknitting fabric.v

n further object of this invention is ,to provide` improved means forcoordinating, determining and controlling the movements of the warpguide nngers units in their relation to the knitting needles and llerfeeding, controlling and laying mechanisms.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide means forincorporating a plurality of iiller threads of different extent throughthe width of the fabric. l

Aprovisions and objects herein, other For facilitating the carrying outsome of the objects of this invention are:

To provide for the feeding of ller thread or yarn to and introducing orlaying the same into the fabric as it is being knitted, by having 'afiller carrier selectively connectable with and disconnectable from aflexible transmission band to which is imparted anon-uniformreciprocating motion, the extent of which motion beingvariable'and regulatable.

To provide for interrupting the laying of the filler at predeterminedintervals, during the continuous running ofthe machine.

To provide friction brake means for arresting the motion of said band.

To provide a movable bank of projections or sinkers which may be of thesame or different lengths capable of receiving the filler' threaddirectly from the carrier, of positioning the same adjacent the needlesand of acting upona preceding laid filler thread to press the samedownwardly.

To provide for the simultaneous use of more than one nller carrier forsimultaneously feeding a plurality of ller threads to incorporate thesame in separate fabrics being simultaneously produced by the machine.

A further objectof this invention is to so coordinate theinstrumentalities attaining objects hereinabove mentioned, that patternor design tween the vertical reciprocating movement of the latch-needlebank and the shiftable oscillating (looping) movements ofthe warpfeeding guide fingers. The pattern eects are predetermined by theselective shiftable movement of the guide fingers which may carry yarnsor threads of the same or different colors across one or more of thehooks of the needles, in accordance with a predetermined fashion toproduce the desired pattern or design. For this purpose a needle bank issubstantially vertically reciprocated relative to a face plate againstwhich it slides. Where tvvov needle banks are employed they are slightlysloped toward each other to bring the needle hooks close together andtheface-plates against which the. needles slide are spacedv apart providingroom for passage of the knitted fabric. The warp yarn or thread isdirected and presented to the bank of latch-needles by the guide fingersof which there may be several units to accommodate different yarns orthreads as desired. The reciprocaton of the needle bank is determined bya cam. The oscillating movement of the Warp guide fingers units iscontrolled by cams. The shiftable or endwise movements of the warp guidefingers units are respectively controlled by individual pattern chainsmade up of special, interchangeable cam links. The cooperation of theabove various instrumentalities exists in a standard form of straightknitting machine.

This invention deals, in part, with improved novel means forcoordinating, regulating and controlling the movements of theseinstrumentalities in their mutual relation and in their relation tofilling-weft feeding controlling and laying mechanisms.

According to this invention one or more carriers, to each of which isimparted a controllable non-uniform 'reciprocating movement. -feedsfiller threads or yarns directly to a movable bank of sinkers whichsupport and lay the same relatively between (1) a connecting link(coming from a preceding loop) and a succeeding loop of the same courseas the connecting link and (2) a succeeding loop of a succeeding coursewhich is carried through the said connecting link and supported thereby.The movable bank of sinkers or projections are adapted to receive thefiller thread directly from the carrier and position the same Yadjacentthe needles. One or more of these nller threads may be laid in eachcourse and by the use of more than one carrier, fillers different inquality or color may be laid in the sameor different courses. The extentof the movements of the carriers are controlled so that the llers, ifdesired, may be extended only partly through and may be vvaried withrespect tothe width of the fabric. Active and inactive periods of thecarriers are controlled in a predetermined manner by a pattern chainmade np of special, interchangeable cam links trained on corporate thesame in separate fabrics simultaneously produced by the" machine.

Certain cf the warpfeeding guide fingers may be controlled softhatiff-desired the warp threads fed thereby may not enter into the lmittingoperation but are incorporated unknitted in the fabric during theknitting operation and the laying of the ller and may interconnect twoor more knitted loops or connecting links of adjacent rows or courses.This unknit warp is referred to herein as an unknit warp, and the warpforming the stitch or loop as the knitting- Warp.

It is easily understood `fr oin the above that in accordance with ourinventionl a fabric can be made having different and -or, uniformsections or parts of elastic and non-elastic properties produced by theemployment of threads or yarn having suitable characteristics.

The disclosure made the basis of exemplifying the present inventiveconcepts suggest practical embodiments thereof, but the invention is notto be restricted to the exact details of this disclosure,

advantages may be attained by the novel design, construction andarrangement of parts, as hereinafter described and illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, constituting a feature of the disclosure, and inwhich:

Fig. 1 'is a broken front elevational View of a knitting machine ascontemplated in this invention.

Fig. 2 is an end elevation thereof as viewed from the left of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a rear elevational view of the right hand end of the knittingmachine shown in Fis. 1. g

Fig. 3a is a detail of cam gear and connecting mechanism shown in Fig.3.

Fig. e is an enlarged elevational view of parts shown in Fig. 3, otherparts being broken away 'for clearer illustration.

Fig. 5 is a combined end elevational and crosssectional view as takenalong the line 5-5 of Fig. 4 and looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. v6 is a vertical sectional view as taken along the line 6-6 of Fig.4 and viewed in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 'i is a similar view as taken on the line "i-li of Fig. l.

Fig. 81s a further enlarged and fragmentary cross-sectional view astaken along the line d d of Fis. 4. i

Fig. 9 is a side elevational view of the filler yar or thread carryingmeans.

Fig. -10 is a broken top plan view thereof.

Fig. 11 is a top plan View, to a reduced scale, of an alternate form offiller thread carrying mechanism.

Fig. 12 is a longitudinal sectional view, to an enlarged scale, as takenalong the line i12-i2 of Fig. 11.

Fig. i3 is a similar view as taken along the line EIS- i3 of Fig. 1l.

Figs. 1t, 15, 16, and 17 are fragmentary semidiagrammatic sideelevational views of the knitting instrumentalities of the machine andsuccessively show the steps of operation.

Fig. 18 is a. fragmentary perspective view ci',l

the above-mentioned parts in the position shown in Fig. ld.

Fig. 19 is a view similar to Fig. l?, showing another form oi yarnarrangement.A

Fig. 20 is a fragmentary view, in diagram, of a piece of material formedby the parts shown in Fig. 19.

Fig. Zivis a fragmentary View of a knitted ller construction orstrandemployable in the fabric produced by the machine.

In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, the frame of the machinecomprises the end frames 25 andZ r*held in rigid spaced rela.- tion by afront tie member 21, a rear tie member 2d, and an upper centrallydisposed tie membel' 29.

VEach of the end frames (Figs. 1, 2, 3)- ls preferably fitted withbrackets such as 3@ which f trained a brakeband 38 having one end xed att@ to a bracket M which is a1so supported on a and drum pinioni'd.

cross bar t3, and having its other end connected as to a coil spring ilwhich'in turn ls adius'tably carried by said bracket as at t2. Inthismanner a varied tension may be applied to the brake drum. and thus asuitable drag is applied to the beam. lt will be noted that thisarrangement obviates the use ofcumbersome counterweights and other typesof drags and, as a whole, the above described arrangement of the warpbeams provides an efficient and iiexibleclean-cut arrangement.

The motive power of the machine is provided by an electric motor or thelike M, the drive pinion lli of which drives the gear train 15, d6, iland il@ mounted in any convenient manner and as best seen in Fig. 2. Thegear it is mounted upon the main camshaft d@ and is in From theforegoing it will be apparentv that the arc of travel of the right handend (Fig. 3)

mesh with the gear it on the hand control shaft 50 which is providedwith a suitable number of hand wheels t, (Fig. 3). Similarly, throughthe medium of the gear di?, the gear it connects with the gear d3 on thelongitudinally disposed shaft 52 on the opposite side of themachine fromthat of the main camshaft t9. This shaft 52 also carries a number ofhand wheels d, (Fig. l). In the above manner the camshaft i9 may beinoperative, by either of the hand control shafts 5d or di?.

.As seen in'Fig. 3, the camshaft di! may be geared as at 5d to avertical shaft 55, supported by brackets 5t and 56B. The upper end ofvthis shaft preferably carries a cam-like gear El which is arranged tointermittently rotate a pin ge'ar 5t, (shown in detail in Fig. 3a) on a,transverse shaft b9. This shaft is suitably carried by a bracket bt'fixed to the frame end and supports a pattern chain drum iii (Fig. a)which in this manner, is intermittently advanced to perform functionslater described.

The camshaft Lid is also geared as at t2 to a cross shaft td supportedin brackets tl, also carried by the frame end 2t. Upon the shaft tiscarried `a .cam-disk tti, the cam groove @da of which controls throughthe medium of a cam follower 65", the movement of an arm to pivoted att? to a bracket te. `Adjustably arranged with and carried by the arm ttis a downwardly extending eleinent 69e to which is pivotally attached alink t@ connected to one end of a walking beam it. pivoted as at it tochange the extent of movement of the other end of said Walking beam.Said last mentioned end of the walking beam lill` is pivotally connectedat ithrough the rod 'l2 with a gear rack i3 guided for verticalreciprocation in the guide way it, (see Figs. d and 5).

The reciprocatory movement of the'rack i3 is utilized to impartoscillatory movement to the drum l5 through the medium ofr a gear traincomprising .the rack pinion lt, idler gear lll, l A complementary idlerdrum. 'id is provided at the opposite end of the machine (Fig. 1) andlaround both drums lb and y et on the shaft b3, through the medium of arook arm d5 (pivoted at 35a) and a connecting link Bti, serves todisengage the'brake shoe t2 from the brake drum dd to free the band d@for movement under the urgency of the cam-disk tb.

This beam 'lt is adapted to be selectively.

`rotated by the motor M or,when the motor is of the walking beam, thegreater the reciprocatory stroke of the band. Hence, the filler thread,which through mechanism later described, ls laid in exactly the desiredmanner and in relation to the desired number of knitted courses.

The knitting instrumentalities of the machine are best seen in Fig. 8. Aneedle bar tl carrying a multiplicity of latch needles dd, is preferablymounted on a plurality of rods dit guided in sleeve bearings 9i) carriedby the machine frame.

The needle bar tl! is arranged longitudinally of the machine and 4isdisposed ata slight angle to a vertical plane, thus, the needles 'whichare arranged to one side of the longitudinal center of the machine maybe moved upward and, at their uppermostv position, intersect saidlongitudinal center. A xed face plate ill is provided to guide andprotect the needles and it is against this `plate that the needle bartl' slides in its reciprocating movement.- It is understood that furtherneedles (not shown) may be arranged in ment with a cam @l on .thecamshaft lid. A plu l rality of such arrangements are provided to impartto the needle bar the contemplated substantially vertical reciprocatorymovement.

The looper bars 9d, in number suitable for a .particular knittingoperation, each carry a plurality of loopers 9i? for guiding the Warpthreads to the knitting course, (Fig. 8). These looper bars are carriedby a rock shaft iti@ extending lbngitudinally of the machine. The looperbars t8 are adapted to be rocked around a horizontal axis andtransversely of the machine by the following mechanism shown in Fig. 2.

A camll'll is provided on the camshaft 39, and a reciprocating pitmanE102 engaged with said cam is adjustabdy connected to an arm tot clampedas at mda to the rock shaft im. Handle means such as shown at itil maybe effectively employed in adjusting the parts so that properoscillation is imparted to the rock-shaft it. in addition; the pitmanmay be varied in length as by means shown at itt in order to render theadjustments more exible.

The means for supporting the looper bars 9d from the rockshaft lil@comprises a plurality oi' hanger brackets tilt on the rockshaft it, eachof which is provided with adjustable guide eyes it? engaged by pins ltdcarried by the respective looper bars Qt, (Fig. t). In order to steadysaid bars, each is provided with an upwardly extending arm its, eachslotted ati l@ for engagement over a pin lil carried by extensions M2 ofa bracket nxcd on the rockshaft itt.A l

It will be also noted that in addition to the previously describedrocking movement of the looper bars around the axis of the rockshaitltd,

. the looper bars also are arranged to be longituthe medium of slides H3provided with end plates lid. The slides are arranged to be moved ashereinafter described and each plate llt-is adapted to be engaged by anadjustable screw l l5 carried by a respective looper bar 98. Thus asseen in Fig. 4, movement of the slide H3 to the right will cause similarmovement of the associated looper bar. A spring H6, connected betweeneach extending arm |99 and a segmental bracket lll carried by therockshaft, serves to eiect movement to the left of the looper bar. Fromthe foregoing it may be seen that the loopbank and also longitudinallythereto.

Also necessary .to the knitting lfunctions arethe illler sinkers iialternately arranged with the needles and'adapted to be reciprocated ina horizontalplane and transversely of the machine by the followingmechanism.

Cams M9 on the camshaft Q9, (Fig. 1), are designed to engage and movethe arms it@ ci bell crank levers also pivoted at d5. The other armsl2!! of the bell crank levers are connected by means of links M2 to armsM3 of other bell crank levers pivoted at mil. (Fig. 8). second leversare formed with arms 625 which are forked as at l2@ for blocks 21carried lSy slides i2@ movable in guides H29. The guides are preferablycarried by a longitudinal structural member i3d forming part oi' themachine frame.

The inner ends of the slides 28 are arranged to carry a sinker bar miwhich serves to support the sinkers l I8 above mentioned.

I'he ends of the warp yarns A are brought from the beams` 36, (Fig. l)over the resiliently mounted tubes 32 and through the loopers 99 to apoint above the falce plate @I Where the knitting of the fabric occurs.The type and design of the knitted fabric is controlled by the endwiseThese in parallel relation to .the bars 838. Each carrier is providedwith respective extensions Ml and M2, each further guided by rods M3,and l'terminating in the respective tubes IM and M6. As

is apparent, the tubes are arranged to be adjacent to and to move alongand slightly above the knitting course.-

The carriage i3d, (Figs. 8 and 9) is xed to the band 80 as by means ofscrews or the like No and hence the carriage moves bodily with saidband. The carriage, for each carrier, is provided A ers 99 may be movedtransversely of the needle with a pivoted latch member lll which isadapted to engage in a notch MB in each carrier. A spring Hi8 isused tohold the. latch in its respective notch. Each latch ldl is formed withan upst'anding projection it@ which is engaged with therefore saidcarrier will not be moved with the l carriage. Oppofite movement of Ithefork will similarly unlatch the carrier ll.

in orderto maintain an unlatched carrier in nondisplaceable position,each of .the rods itA and Mld, at both ends thereof, is provided withspring latches it engageable in notches 453 in the carriers and becauseof the rapidity of the movement of .-the carriage, buier springs ld maymovement of the looper bars 9B and thus ci' the '40 loopers 99. pllshedby the slidesll i3 which are moved by the pattern cam links 'E33arranged in grooves ltd in the chaindrum (Figs. l and 4). Thus. asviewed from the rear of :the machine, a relatively high pattern linkwill urge its respective looper bar d8 towards the right and arelatively low pattern` link will permit the spring lid td'move saidlooper bar towards the left. Hence, the makeup of the pattern chains.controlling the movement of the looper bars, control the type thisfunction are` best shown in Figs. 3, 4, 6, 8,

The filler thread jcarrier comprises a carriage |35, (Figs. 9 and' 10)guided for movement along the bars B36 longitudinally supported in themachine frame.` 'I'he carriage B35 is arranged to be coupled selectivelywith either or both iiller thread carriers ilandA H38. If only onefiller thread'is to be usedaoniy one carrier is used as can be wellunderstood.

The carriers are arranged to slide along respecnve mds las, un, eachdisposed above and This endwise movement is accom` be provided tocounteract the moments of inertia of the carriers at the end of themovement of stroke.

The selection of movement of 4the fork i5@ and the power for performinglthis function are best illustrated in Figs. i and 6. One of the slidesH3 and designated MSB, is associated with a cam link chain 33 on thedrum di. A spring i555 is used to maintain this slide in Contact withthe chain links which like thosepreviously described, are of varyingheights.

As shown, the slide l ide, is provided with-a pin i5@ eng-aged in thefork il of the arm ld pivoted at H59. The arm 58 forms a bell crank withanother arm It@ which is also provided with a fork itl, (Fig. 6). Thelast mentioned iork is engaged over 'a lever to2 pivoted for horioonvalmovement at loi to a bracket ldd on the rocksh'aft idd. provided with afork idd and in its normal and neutral position,- thls fork is occupiedby a xed projection Mill.

From the above description, it is apparent that a high cam link willmove the slide litPa to cause the arm idd, (through members @iid-Sinclusive), and thus 4the lever 662, to swing towards the left, and thatthe spring E55, when a low cam link is opposite the slide, will causethe lever |62 to move towards the right. Similarly, a cam link ofintermediate height will position the lever H62 at the neutral positionshown-(The above mechanism forms the selection means above indicated.

When the lever G62 is swung, its fork it@ becomes engaged over eitherpin idd or pin.v it@ respectively carried by vertically disposed rodslillI I tioned cams lill and llt.

Now it can be seen, that with the forked lever it engaged with the pinltd, the cam i'll, which The lever 5G52, at list-ree end is also aataoeais provided with a relatively Ihigh cam portion, will move the rod il@up .to rock 'the shaft idd in a clockwise direction as seen in Figs. 6and 9. Hence, the curved levers H8, which are carried by the rockshaitit will, through the medium of tapered pins H9 carried on their freeends, engage the fork i8@ on the upper end of the tilt lever liti touncouple the carrier i3d as previously described. Similarly, with theforked lever iti engaged with the pin ltd, the cam H5, which is providedWi-th a relatively low cam port'iomwill cau-se movement of the rod llidown to rock the,

shaft |165 in avcounterclockwise direction. This movement of .therockshaft, in the manner above set forth, will cause the uncoupling ofthe carrier itl.

Since it is desired to uncouple the carriers only at the ends of thecarri-age stroke, the curved arms llt and their tapered pins il@ areposi-r tioned at each end of the said, stroke. Therefore,

once the carriage starts its movement with or without a carrier, thisoon-dition will be maintained until the stroke is completed.

The flexibility of the above described arrangement should be readilyapparent. For instance,

one or more filler threads may be laid with each l or the curved armsi'i may be removed so the latches l-d'i are not acted upon. Also,onecarnler may remain coupled so as to lay a ller thread 4with eachAknitting course, and the other carrier periodically coupled anduncoupled to lay a second filler at every two, three, four, or morecourses. Further, the cam link chain controlling the coupling anduncoupling of the carriers may be so arranged as to lay two differentkinds of colors of filler threads alternately or in any relation to suitthe tastes of the designer of the fabric to be produced.

Up to this point of the specification, there has been disclosed meansfor knitting a fabric in varying designs with or without one or morefiller threads. As will be apparent from (Figs. 19 and 20), additionalunknitted warp threads may be incorporated inv the fabric by bringingthem to the knitting coursebetween the needles. Still greaterflexibility of design is afforded in this manner.

While the foregoing is descriptive of means for knitting a fabric withone bank ti of needles, it is apparent that two banks di may be used toprovide a fabric of different character. In this event, a duplicateneedle bar may be mounted on the rods 89H and associated with anotherface plate such as 9i, the knitted material being adapted to passbetween the face-plates and to be suitably taken up on a takeup rollpositioned at the bottom of the machine. In that event the feed rollsl2M, tilt which 'maintain the fabric under suitable tension; may becarried on the shafts shown at ltiij and |32a of Figf?.

However, when only one needle bank 8l! is used, the feed roll-shaftsmay-be positioned in front of the face plate 9i as shown at iti and |82.The former is intermittently driven as follows:

Upon the camshaft 49 (Fig. 2) there is provided an eccentric |83; which,through the eccentric strap |84, reciprocates the rod l85 connected tothe slotted end i t of a bell crank pivotecl at it?. The other arm ofsaid'bell crank carries a driving pawlid which is engaged with a ratchetwheel i3d mounted for rotation at i296.

The ratchet wheel itil is preferably free on the shaft lddv which hasaffixed to it a handle isi provided with detent means selectivelyengageable in spaced holes idf in saidratchet wheel. Also fixed to theshaft ldil there is a pinion gear i523, which, because it is connectedto the handle itil which in turn is engaged with the ratchet Wheel, isintermittently driven by the pawl itt by reas-on of the eccentric idd. Aratchet pawl idd is provided to maintain the advanced position of theratchet wheel i d@ during the recovery moven ment of the driving pawl.

' The pinion gear tt is mated with a gear 55 on a stub shaft idd whichalso carries a sprocket wheel itl around which is trained one bight of achain ist having its other bight trained around a sprocket wheel itil onthe shaft itl. If desired, an idler sprocket 200 may be employed toobviate slack in the chain 98.

lrIhus, each revolution of the camshaft de, will cause advancement ofthe shaft iti and its feedroll Edi (Fig. l) to a degree imparted by thestroke of the driving pawl itt ascontrolled by the position of the endof the rod it in the slotted member i826. The closer to the pivot itlthat this rod end is, the smaller the advancement Of the feed roll 2M,and, similarly, the further from said pivot, the greater saidadvancement.

The roller 2M, (Fig. 7) is associated with an idler roller 203 on theshaft i232 and this latter roller is preferably mounted on blocks tiltwhich are adapted to be adjustably positioned on ways tild of brackets205 which also serve to support the roller ffii. The knitted fabric lisadapted to pass between the face plate di and the roller 2M, under saidroller', over the roller 203 and then downward to a I take-up roll 2do.The take-up roll 206 is mounted on brackets 2M and is arranged to bedriven from the stub shaft 596 as follows:

The upper end of an angularly disposed shaft Edt is driven from the stubshaft as by bevel gears its and supported by brackets 2 iii and 2i i.The lower end of said shaft 208 is preferably geared, as -at tlf, to ahorizontally disposed stub shaft- 2id. It is preferred to drive thisstub shaft at a greater intermittent speed than the feed rolls 20! and203 and hence the gear on said stub shaft 2 i3 is somewhat smaller thanthe mating gear on the shaft 20d.

This overdrive is necessary so that the fabric, as it is being taken upon the take-up roll ft, is kept' taut. In order to accomplish this, aslip friction clutch 2M, (Fig. 1) is interposed between the stub shaftM3 and the take-up roll '20d Now it can be seen that as the fabricbuilds up on the take-up roll more slip will occur at the clutch 2 ld,whereas the advancement of the feed rollers will remain uniformlyconstant.

The motor switch S may be operated by either of the controlshafts 2idatthe front and the rear of the machine which for/this purpose arelinked together as at ZIB. At the end of one ofthe shafts 2 i5, (Figs. 4and 5) there is preferably provided a disc El? which is provided withvradially disposed abutments 2I8 to limit the rotational movement of theshafts 2 l 5, on extension 209 of the lever 220 which carries the brakeshoe t2 having engagement with the abutments for this purpose. i

In the on position of thecontrol shafts M5,

the end of the extension 2|!! is arranged to seat in either depression22| in the disc 2H and thus the spring 222 urges the brake shoe 82 intocontact with the brake drum 83. Hence, the brake drum 83 is freed onlyby the high point of the cam 84 in synchronous timing with the othercams of the machine. sired to operate the machine by hand during settingup. etc., the brake shoe 82 may be freed from contact with the brakedrum 33 by placing the relatively high portion 223 of this disc 2H,

under the nose of the extension, 2|3, (Fig. ,5). When setting up thepattern drum 3| and in order to obtain clearance for positioning thecam,

links thereon, it is desirable toretract the slides M3 and |938. Thismay be accomplished through the medium of a hand lever 2212 fixed to apivot shaft 225 upon which are carried a plurality of down reaching arms226. These arms preferably extend between said slides and are eacharranged to contact a roller 221 carried by each adjacent slide. Adetent 228, carried by the lever 226i, is associated with fixed teeth orserrations 223. Thus, with the lever as shown in Fig. 4, the slides mayhavecontact with l cam links of various heights and are free to be movedendwise thereby. Moving the lever to the left so the arms 223 move theslides to the right will afford the clearance necessary for setting upthe pattern drum. In this position the leftmost tooth 223 will engagethe detent to'hold the lever in this position.

In order to render the movement of the needle bar 37 more readilyadjustable, veach arm 3ft is preferably provided with a slide blockwhich may be securely set in relation to the 'arm pivot 35 as by meansof a feed screw 23|, accessible from the front of the machine, (Fig. 7)

While the machine may be set up to knit one width of vfabric within itscapacity, it is more often the 'case that two or more widths aresimultaneously knitted. By employing as many carriages |35 as-the numberof widths of fabric desired, a plurality of identical fabrics may beformed. Here again, the flexibility of the present arrangement becomesapparent when it is pointed However, when it is de-v E35 may be used forlaying the filler yarn for the fabric F', it is preferred to couple theextension'arm it! with a similar arm Itla as by means of a connectingmember 232. Thus the movement of the carriage |35 is imparted to saidlatter arm MIB and its yarn tube |448 will lay a filler thread in thefabric F in a manner identical to that performed'for the fabric F.

Also fixed to the band BIJ, there is provided a carriage 233, which isprovided with a lug 234. The extent of movement of this carriage is thesame as the carriage |35. At each end of the stroke of Amovement of itscarriage, the lug 236| is adapted to alternately engage and move therespective slide collars 235 and 235 on the iixed rod itt.

The collar 235 is backed by a coil spring 23E `also strung on the rodhill, and the other end of said spring is adapted to engage against oneend sion arm 238 provided with a yarn tube 239.

. other end of the carrier is backed by a coil out that either or boththe knitted warp threads Y and the filler threads may be freely varied.

In some instances it is desired to incorporate two filler threads ofdifferent extent through the width of the fabric, i.-e., one ller threadextending for the entire 'width of the fabric and the other extendingonly through a medial portion of said fabric.

It is apparent from the above that one of the carriages must have alonger traverse than the other.' In that event an arrangement such asshown in Figs. 11, 12 and 13 may be employed. In the embodimenthereillustrated, two widths of fabric F and F' are to be knitted, eachto be provided with a ller thread extending through the entire width ofthe fabric and another filler thread through the portion of eachrespectively designated i and f.

. The band 3@ has amxed to it a carriage |35 which 4may move, as beforedescribed, along guide-ways 33.' This carriage may move the extensionarm MI which supports the yarn tube M4, through the medium of the latch|52, (Fig.

. 13)., Since no means for moving the latch is I Vlaid at each courseand for, the full width of the Y fabric F.

i While another carriage similar to the carriage spring 2t@ similar to,but somewhat shorter, than the spring 233. A xed collar` 24| is arrangedas an abutment for the spring 24U. The above described mechanism isdesigned to lay the ller thread in the area of the fabric F which isdesignated f. v

The filler thread for the area ff of the fabric F is laid bythe carrier231B, which carries the arm 238a and yarn tube 2338. Associated withthis carrier are the coil springs'2368 and 240, the slide collar 235aand fixed abutment collar 26W. This latter assembly is similar to theone above described. l

The two carriers 23l and 231B are connected together as by a member 242.As can be seen, the carriage 233 may move between the collars 235 and235a without-'imparting any movement to the carriers 237 and 237B, butthe latter portion of each stroke of the carriage 233, will pick up andmove said collars 235and 235a and hence the carriers so that therespective weft threads are laid inthe 'fabrics F and F. Thus when thecarrier 237| is moved towards the left by the carriage 233, the carrier231a is similarly moved towards the left through the medium of theconnection 232, and similarly, when the carrier 231a is moved towardsthe right by said carriage, the carrier 231 is also vmoved towards theright vthrough the vmedium of said connection means It is believed thatthe specification, as thus far progressed, clearly sets forth the meansand mechanism for providing Various types of knitted fabric ascontemplated in this invention. The following description will deal withthe mode of operation of the machine.

Operation Figures i4 to 17, inclusive,` indicate in semidiagrammaticform, several steps in the knitting operation as associated with theller laying operation of a carriage such as shown in Figures 9 and 10,it being assumed that the movement of said carriage is for the entirewidth of the fabric to be knitted.. It is-also assumed that only one ofthe carriers i3? or |38 is to be used. In this instance the innercarrier |38 will be employed. It is further assumed that the carriage itis at the left end of its stroke.

Several courses of fabric having been already knitted as shown in Figure14:, the needles at are at their lowermost pcsiti'onand the fabric issupported on them by means of the loops A! formed in the warp threads A.The sinkers iid are retracted and the tube M35 isdisposed so as todeposit the filler thread B upon the upper edges of said sinker. Now,the sinkers are moved to the rightV (Figure 15) so that the shoulderslita of the sinkers move the laid filler thread to the right of theneedles. In this condition` the tube M5 has moved to a point beyond theneedle bank so that the needles may now be moved upward.

This latter condition is shown in Figure 16, the

loops A1 having opened the latches of the needle as shown. The fillerthread is now positioned between the needles and the oncoming warp yarnA. The loopers @il now move from a position to the right ofthe needlesto a position to their left, preparatory to forming new loops A2immediately beneath the needle hooks and around the needles. Thecompound rocking and oscillatory movement of the loopers serve to firstmove the warp threads between the needles to the position shown inFigure 16 and then back in one of the directions shown by the two-headarrow M3 (Fig. 18) so that the threads are passed around 1 the needles.As the loopers are rocked back to the position shown in Figure 17 theloops A2 are formed. It will be now seen that the ller thread B isdisposed between the loops A1 and A2. As the needle-s are moved down andthe sinkers are again withdrawn, the loops A1, which had previously beenpulled free of the needle latches by the pull exerted on the knittedfabric, now lift the latches to close them. These loops will now slip oithe end of the needles which now support the loops A2. From the positionshown in Figure 17, the parts move to the position of Figure 14. Fromthis position, the knitting operation is repeated with the filler threadnow laid from right to left as viewed from the rear of the machine. Ascan be seen, the knitting of the warp thread iswnot affected by thefiller thread which may be variably laid as previously described. Itwill be remembered that the filler thread need not be laid at everyknitting course despite the fact that the carriage 135 moves across witheach course of knitting. Hence the previously stated means for obtainingwide variations in the knitted fabri may be more clearly understood. vAsseen in Fig-s. 8 and 14 to 18, inclusive, the sinkers iid arepreferably formed with extended finger portions iib so that in anyposition of said sinkers the ller threads B are suitably supportedthereon. However, it is not essential that all of the sinkers beprovided with said extended porwarp threads A which are carried by saidendwise moving loopers are knitted by the needles. The other warp C istherefore unknitted.

One form of material formed in this manner is shown in Fig. 20 and theexibility of design of fabric, with the further addition of thisunknitted warp thread, may be readily imagined. Fig. 21 discloses aknitted or chain-stitch filler D, which may be employed as a llerthread. This knitted filler may be combined with unknitted fillersduring the making of the fabric, or any combination of knitted andunknitted warp and/or ller yarns may be incorporated in the fabric bythe means heretofore set forth.

lt can be readily seen by the above description that a plurality ofsimultaneously operable cary riers may be provided for simultaneouslyfeeding a plurality of i'lller threads adjacent the needles torespectively incorporate the same in separate fabrics simultaneouslyproduced by the machine. For this purpose warp threads are omitted fromthe warp feeding guide iingers at predetermined intervals leavingspaces, the widthV of a fabric produced being fixed by the distancebetween two successive inactive guide linger spaces. One or more of thefiller thread carriers can be made to selectively operate between thesesuccessive spaces since the length of the carrier travel may be tions solongas a suflicient number of them are th'e loopers S9 are moved endwiseto form the loops A2 and the loopers 99a are not, only those varied.

While the structural details of the invention as disclosed are atpresent preferred, it can be well understood that skilled persons maysubstitute mechanical equivalents therefor without departing from thespirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

Having thus described our invention what we claim as new and desire tobe secured by.Lettcrs Patent is:

1. In a knitting machine for forming warp and filler threads into afabric, the combination with knitting elements including a bank ofneedles, of a longitudinally reciprocable carriage for feeding fillerthread substantially parallel to the needle bank, a flexible perforatedband for moving said carriage, and filler sinkers movable transverselyof the machine for receiving filler thread directly from said carriage,said sinkers being adapted to place said filler thread in position to beincorporated in the courses of the fabric during the knitting operation.

2. In a knitting machine for forming warp and ller threads into afabric, the combination with knitting implements including a bank ofneedles, of a longitudinally reciprocable carriage for feeding fillerthread substantially parallel to the needle bank, a flexible perforatedband for moving said carriage, said carriage comprising a portionremovably attached to said band and a carrier portion dapted to beseparated from the fixed portion, and filler sinkers movabletransversely of the machine for receiving filler thread directly from'said carrier portion, said sinkers being adapted to place said fillerthread in position to be incorporated in the courses of the fabricduring the knitting operation.

3. In a knitting machine for forming warp and filler threads into afabric, in combination, means for feeding 'warp thread, means forknitting 4said warp thread to form a fabric. means for feeding filler.thread for incorporation into said fabric,

means for reciprocating said filler feeding means, said ller feedingmeans comprising a carriage lattached to said reciprocating means and afiller thread carrier-portion, and means for disassociah means and afiller thread carrier member, means for maintaining said carrier membercouplled to.

said carriage, and means for uncoupling said carriermember from saidcarriage at either end of the travel of said flller feeding means.`

5. In a knitting machine for Aforming war-p and iiller threads into afabric, in combination, means for feeding warp thread, means forknitting said means for actuating said coupling means, said meansincluding cam operated selector means synchronized with the operationvof the machine,

y. and an oscillatory member at each 'end of the carried means at each'of said ends of said filler feeding means.

warp thread to7 form a fabric, means for feeding ller thread forincorporation into said fabric, said filler feeding means including acarriage anda filler thread carrier, means carried .by said cartravel ofsaid filler feeding means, said oscillatory 4 member being adapted toengage said carriage travel of 10. In a knitting machine for formingWarp and ller threads into -a fabric, in combination, means for feedingfiller thread for incorporation into said fabric, said fil-ler feedingmeans comprising a carriage adapted to reciprocate continuously duringthe operation of the machine, a filler thread carrierV coupled with saidcarriage,

vmeans for uncoupling said carrier at either end of the travel of saidcarriage, and means for holding said carrier immovable duri-ng itsuncoupled condition.

riage having engagement with said carrierwhcreby said carrier may beselectively coupled to or uncoupled from said carriage, and means foractuating said coupling means. A

6. In a knitting machine Vfor forming warp and 4filler threads into afabric, in combination, means for feeding warp thread, means forknitting said warpthread into said fabric, means for feeding fillerthread for incorporation into said fabric,

said last-mentioned means comprising a. carriage and a pair of fillerthread carriers, means carried by said carriage having engagement withsaid carriers whereby said carriers may be each selectively. coupled toand uncoupled from said carriage, and means for actuating such couplingmeans.

1l. In a knitting machine for forming warp and ller threads into afabric, in combination, filler feed means for incorporating fillerthread into said fabric, means for actuating said feed 1 means, andselector means for coupling said feed means with said actuating means,said coupling, means including a pair yof members and cam means formoving one of said pair of members to one side of a neutral position andfor moving the other of saidmembers to the other side of said 7. In aknitting machine for formingv Warp4 and filler threads into -a fabric,in combination, means for feeding Warp thread, means for knitting saidlfrom said carriage at either end`of the travel of said ller feedingmeans, whereby the feeding of iiller thread is interrupted;

8. In a knitting machine for forming Warp an filler threads into afabric, in combination, means for feeding warp thread, means forknitting said warp thread in'to a fabric, means for feeding ller threadfor incorporation into .said fabric, said filler feeding meanscomprising a carriage and a pair of ller thread carriers, means carriedby said carriage having engagement with said carriers, whereby saidcarriers may be eachl selectively vcoupled to or uncoupled from saidcarriage, and means for actuating said coupling means, saidlast-mentioned means including cam operated selector means synchronizedwith the .operation of the machine.

9. In a knitting machine for forming warp and ller threads into afabric, in combination, means for feeding Warp thread, means forknitting said warp thread into a fabric, means 4for feeding ller threadAfor incorporation into said fabric, said filler `thread feeding meanscomprising a carriage and a pair of'filler thread carriers, meanscarried A by said carriage having engagement with said carriers, wherebysaid carriers may be each selectively coupled to or uncoupled from saidcarriage,v

neutral position 12. In .a knitting machine for forming .warp and llerthreads into a fabric, in combination, a. filler thread eedeL'means for`reciprocating said feeder including a perforated endless band,

a pair of pulleys around which'hthe end bights of the band are trained,means for oscillating one of said pulleys, and brake means associatedwith one of said pulleys for arresting the movement of said band andsaid feeder.

13. In a knitting machine for forming warp and ller threads into afabric, in combination, a`

i-lller thread feeder, means for reciprocating said.

v feeder including a perforated endless band, a

pair of pulleys around which the end bights of the band are trained,means for oscillating one Vof said pulleys, means for varyingthe degreeof oscillation .of said pulley and thus varying the degree ofreciprocatory travel of the feeder, and brake means associated with oneof said pulleys for arresting-the movement of said band ateach end ofthe. travel of said feeder.

14. In a knitting machine for forming warp and filler threads into afabric, in combination, a filler thread feeder, means for reciprocatingsaid feeder including a perforated endless band, a pair. of pulleysaround which the end bights of the band are trained, means forvarying'the degreeof travel of said feeder including operating means foroscillating one of said pulleys, and cam meansfor controlling saidoperating means.

15. In a knitting machine for forming. warp and filler threads into afabric, in combination,"

means for feeding warp thread, meansfor knitting said warp thread toform a fabric, said knitting means including a bank of needles, warpthread looping means, automatic means for controlling the position ofsaid looping means, a

flexible means for moving said filler feeder, ller guides movabletransversely of said needle bank Y to position said ller thread forincorporation incourses of the warp 'during the knitting operation,automatically controlled courseselectormeansfor

